Dynamically disabling beamforming capabilities

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for dynamically disabling beamforming for particular user devices. At a node that utilizes carrier aggregation, a node, such as an eNodeB or a gNodeB, communicates with a user device that is located at a cell edge, the communicating comprising transmitting data on at least two channels that utilize beamforming. Performance of the user device is determined to be below a predetermined threshold. When this occurs, beamforming capabilities are disabled for at least one of the at least two channels used to communicate with the user device.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for dynamically disabling beamforming for particular user devices, the system comprising:
 a processor; and 
 one or more computer storage hardware devices storing computer-usable instructions that, when used by the processor, cause the processor to: 
 determining that loading on a sector of a node is above a predetermined threshold, the sector utilizing beamforming; 
 determining that one or more user devices are located at a cell edge of the sector; 
 determining that at least one of the one or more user devices is a high-powered user device or a relay device; and 
 disabling the beamforming for the one or more user devices that are located at the cell edge of the sector and are not high-powered user devices or relay devices while maintaining beamforming for the at least one or more user devices that are located at the cell edge and that are the high-powered user device or the relay device. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving information from each of the one or more user devices, the information comprising a type of user device. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising, subsequent to the disabling of the beamforming for the one or more user devices that are located at the cell edge of the sector, determining that the loading on the sector of the node is below the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3 , further comprising enabling the beamforming for the one or more user devices that are located at the cell edge of the sector, wherein the enabling the beamforming is for the one or more user devices whose beamforming had previously been disabled. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein disabling the beamforming for the one or more user devices that are located at the cell edge of the sector allows network resources to be allocated to other user devices within the sector. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving information from each of the one or more user devices, the information comprising one or more user device capabilities. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the relay device provides backhaul for small cells. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising determining that at least one of the one or more user devices that are located at the cell edge of the sector is associated with poor radio frequency conditions. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising the at least one or more user devices that are located at the cell edge and that are the high-powered user device or the relay device.